I, for one, am tickled to death with all the opportunities to compete. The Series bonuses are just that, a bonus, if I play enough of the same series.
I don't know if I can handle all this disc golf, but I won't complain.

Well said

"Honest work is for the downtrodden and the Polish"
Cleveland Brown

Comment

Im with stimpi.........i just wrote out a list of possible tournaments i want to attend over the summer and guess what? I had to choose several times between two different tournaments on the same weekend.

I find that pretty awesome that the sport is getting so big and so many more players are playing that it will end up no one is left behind. What i mean is more tournaments are being schedule no matter what is going on that particular weekend. So what if the beaver state fling or fort steilacoom open is playing on a certain weekend........not everybody is going to be able to play so why not have another tournament somewhere else so those players who didnt get to sign up for whatever reason can still play. If the lilac city open and the beaver state fling and the fort steilacoom open was played on the same weekend it is a pretty good chance that all three will have a very good turn out no matter what.

I guess i am just not concern with any kind of series.......i just like to pick and choose the individual tourneys.

Oh.......look out stimpi..........i am soooooo close in to talking my wife in to showing up for the lilac city open.....hope to see ya there!

WHEN I GROW UP I WANT TO BE A SPIDER BITE.

Comment

For the last 4 years or so the Spokane event has contributed more to the Wa. St. Finals than any other Wa. event. In the meantime the Eastside has grown its own Inland Series and one consequence to the Wa St. Series is the decline of far Eastside participants in the Finals.
When the Wa. St. Series governing group decided to revisit having the Final also be a qualifying event this showed their bias for limiting the number of required trips east of the Cascades to one. (essentially limiting the Westside's number of over-nite trips to one). From an Eastside perspective every traveling event is an over-nite excursion with one exception.
To me it was questionable whether this turn of events necessitated our withdrawl from the Wa. Series. At this time, however, I will defer to Bob's sentiments on this subject and hope that our events will still be well-subscribed. The upside is that the Spokane events will be at least $3 per player richer than in the past. Other than that we recognize our role in the Wa. St. Series tradition and that alone was the hardest thing to let go.

Comment

Doing a little research I see that Western Washington has almost 6 million people compared to Eastern Washington and its 1.5 million. Also Eastern Washington has double the amount of land compared to Western Washington. Just judging my these numbers, you're going to have to do some traveling if you live over there.

So, is what you are saying is that the east should travel 4 times for every once the west does?

I did a little research and found out some interesting facts.

67 people qualified for the WSS in 2010 and that 12 of them were from the east side.

59 people qualified for the INWS in 2010 and that 7 of them were from the west side.

This looks like both sides of the state are about equal when it comes down to hard core, gotta play, can't miss this one competitors.

Looking at it this way one might consider a more equal distribution concerning travel.

Comment

For the last 4 years or so the Spokane event has contributed more to the Wa. St. Finals than any other Wa. event. In the meantime the Eastside has grown its own Inland Series and one consequence to the Wa St. Series is the decline of far Eastside participants in the Finals.
When the Wa. St. Series governing group decided to revisit having the Final also be a qualifying event this showed their bias for limiting the number of required trips east of the Cascades to one. (essentially limiting the Westside's number of over-nite trips to one). From an Eastside perspective every traveling event is an over-nite excursion with one exception.
To me it was questionable whether this turn of events necessitated our withdrawl from the Wa. Series. At this time, however, I will defer to Bob's sentiments on this subject and hope that our events will still be well-subscribed. The upside is that the Spokane events will be at least $3 per player richer than in the past. Other than that we recognize our role in the Wa. St. Series tradition and that alone was the hardest thing to let go.

Lets make sure we are giving the complete story. Before the vote the "west side" had to make ONE trip east. After the vote the "west side still had to make ONE trip east since the finals is a qualifier it caused the min events to jump up to 5 (1/2+1). Of course now the east side has to make 2-3 trips west compared to the (1) before spokane pulled out.
Its a shame that Spokane made this decision after a vote that ended in a tie in a previous vote. It is the series fault for not having a plan in place for ties and I take partial blame for that.
I really am going to miss playing your course this year Gordy

Take Care

Comment

Lets make sure we are giving the complete story. Before the vote the "west side" had to make ONE trip east. After the vote the "west side still had to make ONE trip east since the finals is a qualifier it caused the min events to jump up to 5 (1/2+1). Of course now the east side has to make 2-3 trips west compared to the (1) before Spokane pulled out.

I want to clarify something else
The term mountains is not a bench mark, it's is at best a generalization. When I used the Spokaner reference It also applies to the S Central WA Players. even if travel for you is zero for two ( and including Spokane) you still needed to drive farther once (one way) then any westsiders do to completely qualify including the finals.

Comment

I want to make it perfectly clear that I made the decision to withdraw our Spokane tournaments from the WSS. I did consult with others but ultimately it was my decision.

This decision doesn't mean that Spokane will never consider being part of the WSS in years to come. Hopefully, we can come to some arrangement to make Spokane's representation in the 2012 WSS more equitable.

Last year $1516 (47.5%) of the $3192 total that was raised for the 2010 Finals purse came from the east side of the state.

Of the 67 competitors that qualified for the 2010 WSS Finals, 12 (18%) were from the east side of the state.

We need to find a solution that will equalizes these two stats, any IDEAS out there?

Comment

What is really a shame is your going to skip them just because they are not in the 2011 WA. Series[/QUOTE]

Yes I know they are still happening but I have limited traveling funds and instead of making two trips to Spokane I am now having to make 2 trips across the mountains.
I agree you are helping working on solutions for next year...I think we are going in the right direction.
Its going to be a tough road for Eastern Washington in the future for no matter what we have a lot of travel. Seems almost that Spokane wants to be able to never leave town and still qualify and I don't know how to fix that.

I think the reason I am a bit bitter about this is I was looking forward to my trips to Spokane and it came after a rather meaningless vote.

Comment

I want to make it perfectly clear that I made the decision to withdraw our Spokane tournaments from the WSS. I did consult with others but ultimately it was my decision.

This decision doesn't mean that Spokane will never consider being part of the WSS in years to come. Hopefully, we can come to some arrangement to make Spokane's representation in the 2012 WSS more equitable.

Last year $1516 (47.5%) of the $3192 total that was raised for the 2010 Finals purse came from the east side of the state.

Of the 67 competitors that qualified for the 2010 WSS Finals, 12 (18%) were from the east side of the state.

We need to find a solution that will equalizes these two stats, any IDEAS out there?

I wish there was a solution. I know four of us qualified from Walla Walla and we were not even a part of the series. We went in knowing we would have to travel.
It really seems like you lump eastern washington to being Spokane.
Truth is we (east side)had an equal number of events. In fact we had 4 qualifiers and they had 3 qualifiers and a series final.
It seemed until we decided to re-vote on a previous tie vote (we have no protocol for ties) you were pretty quiet.

Not once did you say hey we need to...or spokane will not be able to be in the series because....

I don't know what you were hoping to change if you did not present options to the group.

Thanks Bob for your time.

Comment

I won't play a single event this year because its in one series or another. I have qualified for the Oregon series, the Montana series, the WA series and the INWS. I play golf at events that I like to play on courses I like to play. I think people get WAY to wrapped up into "series" events. I've heard so many people listen to a description of an event I'm going to say "Wow that sounds awesome"! The very next question is "Is that part of the INWS or the WWS or the MTPS? I answer no and they say oh thats to bad, I only play in this specific series.. And I have no idea why. It's like a disease. People build this box around the series they are gonna play and that is that. The only way around it is to make one giant series. They would fill quickly though unless you ran 2 course events or ams one weekend and pros the next.. This would be a tough deal for all the TD's making a hard job even harder. There are so many golfers it seems like the way things are being done right now is the best way. If you have played in 5 of 6 of your series events and you want to play City Cup really bad than do it. Don't let the silly series that nobody remembers what happened a year later, decide how your frisbee flies through this life.

Comment

Three of the six WSS events in 2010 were on the east side (two in Spokane and one in Kennewick). Total money brought in from these three events was $1888 ($1214 from the $3/head series fees, $582 fundraiser discs from Bob & Kaleb, and $92 from the basket toss).

The total expenses for the 2010 WSS came to $4392.08 ($954 to pay for the fundraiser discs, $1666 for the qualifier shirts, $352.08 for the trophies, $85 for the Iron Man minis, $100 to correct and update the big traveling trophy – should be a one-time deal, and $1235 in WSS payout).

The current series bank is $444.92.

Bob, this hardly changes any point you’re trying to make here (the percentages you provided are close to the same); I just don’t understand what you are basing your numbers off of. This is straight out of the provided budget report.

Washington State-
I know not everything is fair. What I can say is that 2011 would have been the second year in a row where Spokane would have had two WSS events within a single season; that seems like progress to me. 2011 would have been the first time (that I can think of off the top of my head) that there would have been four WSS events east of the Cascades in a single season; that seems like progress to me. 2011 is the second year in a row that anyone in Washington who wants to have input on series development gets to have a platform to speak from and a vote to be counted; that seems like progress to me.

I certainly don’t have all the answers, but if anyone out there honestly thinks that I (we) are not trying to come up with solutions; you’re wrong. Democracy is slow and tedious, but the Washington State Series is progressing. Soon after this season starts the discussion group will form an official (of some kind) board of directors and progress to the next step of being official.

People are working very hard for the players in Washington State and sometimes things don’t always work out best for everyone, but 2011 is going to be the third year in a row that the series will be 100% publically accountable for it’s budget (Paul had a rough time recovering info from the 2009 fallout, but there was $670 carried over from 2009 into 2010); that seems like progress to me.

I know I (we) have a lot to learn, but I absolutely feel that we have come a long way.

Mike Rideout
2010 & 2011 WSS Coordinator

Last edited by Rideout; February 18th, 2011, 05:35 PM.
Reason: Add the current series funds.

Comment

Isn't Kennewick close to halfway between the "eastside" and "westside" ?

Perhaps the finals should be there in 2012, 2013, 2014, or 2015? There's room for additional holes at that park, even a whole extra temp course.

Kennewick is such a welcoming town. Plenty of hotels and even camping at the park. Food & a brewery nearby too.

Dunno how the disc folk in Kennewick would feel about running finals there. But they could get help from both sides.

Perhaps a player could qualify with zero or only one road trip prior to the finals. Maybe someone could gain a qualification/points by volunteering/working at a local or nearby course/tourney in lieu of a road trip tourney.

May WA disc golf rage on!

Comment

Series or no series making the trip to Spokane to play Gordy’s event is something all disc golfers should experience. The three courses at one location and wildlife! Besides I like to travel! This proves that this sport has been growing and we should all be happy with all the opportunities to play.
Eastside meets Westside Downtown! (Wenatchee?)

Comment

Isn't Kennewick close to halfway between the "eastside" and "westside" ?

Perhaps the finals should be there in 2012, 2013, 2014, or 2015? There's room for additional holes at that park, even a whole extra temp course.

Kennewick is such a welcoming town. Plenty of hotels and even camping at the park. Food & a brewery nearby too.

Dunno how the disc folk in Kennewick would feel about running finals there. But they could get help from both sides.

Perhaps a player could qualify with zero or only one road trip prior to the finals. Maybe someone could gain a qualification/points by volunteering/working at a local or nearby course/tourney in lieu of a road trip tourney.